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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-05-01; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION May 1,2006 (Regular Meeting) 3:00 p.m. City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chair Dorsey called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff Members Present: Chair Steve Dorsey Vice-Chair Susan Gardner Commissioner Gordon Cress Commissioner Guy Roney Commissioner Bonnie Bradshaw None Robert Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, Transportation Jim Murray, Associate Engineer, Transportation APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 6,2006 ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 6, 2006 as presented. The Traffic Safety Commission Meeting scheduled for April 3, 2006 was cancelled; therefore, there were no minutes to be approved. 4-0-1 Dorsey, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw None Gardner May 1,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2 ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson, Deputy City Engineer, informed the Commission that the City Council took action on two items based on recommendations by the Traffic Safety Commission. The City Council adopted the resolution accepting the 2006 Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy, including the 2006 Traffic Signal Qualification List. The City Council adopted the ordinance to establish the 30 mile per hour prima facie speed limit on Glasgow Drive from Edinburgh Drive to Carlsbad Village Drive. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6A: Request to install a stop sign on Hillyer Street at its intersection with Lynch Court Mr. Johnson indicated that the staff report would be presented by Associate Engineer Jim Murray. Mr. Murray stated that this item was a request for a stop sign on Hillyer Street at its intersection with Lynch Court. The request was initiated by two residents on Lynch Court. Hillyer Street and Lynch Court intersect in a T-intersection configuration. Referring to Exhibit 1 on the overhead projection, Hillyer Street is considered the minor street leg of the intersection and the stem of the T-intersection. Lynch Court is the top of the T, and no stop sign or right of way control has been installed at this intersection. However, stop signs have been installed on Hillyer Street at Frost Avenue, and on the two legs of Ciardi Court at Hillyer Street. Mr. Murray indicated that both Hillyer Street and Lynch Court are local streets hi the Canterbury subdivision. Neither is classified on the Circulation Element. This street system is a closed circulation system with the only ingress and egress to Frost Avenue by way of Hillyer Street. Lynch Court is a double-end cul-de-sac serving twenty-two single family homes. Mr. Murray commented that the safe approach speed to the intersection on the minor street is typically evaluated when there is a request to install a stop sign only on the minor street. Referring to Exhibit 2, for the analysis of local streets, the minor street decision point is assumed to be 50 feet from the conflict point hi the intersection when the vehicle on the minor street has an approach speed of 10 miles per hour. On the major street, a distance of 155 feet for a speed of 25 miles per hour must be provided to minor street drivers to view vehicles approaching the intersection. At the study intersection, a driver on Hillyer Street has corner sight distance less than 155 feet, when looking to both the east and west for vehicles approaching on Lynch Court. The driver when looking to the east has corner sight distance of approximately 120 feet, and when looking to the west has corner sight distance of approximately 114 feet. The limitations hi both directions are due to landscaping and the May 1,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3 elevation of the private properties on the northeast and the northwest corners of the Hillyer Street/Lynch Court intersection. Consequently, the 10-mile per hour safe approach speed criteria is not being met and a stop sign can be considered for installation on Hillyer Street. Mr. Murray stated that a limited driver observation study was conducted of typical driver behavior when approaching the intersection. Field observations between 4:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. noted driver behavior often vehicles. Ten vehicles were observed approaching Lynch Court to turn right or left and noted if they typically slowed down and came to a stop before turning or if they traveled more than 10 miles per hour at the intersection. Of the 10 vehicles observed in the one hour and 15 minutes, all ten came to a stop or slowed to less than 10 miles per hour before they turned right or left. In summary, based on the studies, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommends the installation of a stop sign on Hillyer Street at its intersection with Lynch Court. The action will require the City Council to adopt an ordinance to establish the stop control, as recommended. DISCUSSION; Commissioner Roney stated that he drove to the intersection of Hillyer Street and Lynch Court on Sunday and he also stopped when he approached Lynch Court before proceeding. He noticed several small children in the area and felt it was a good idea for a stop sign. PUBLIC TESTIMONY: Ms. Pam Starling, 5077 Lynch Court, Carlsbad, stated that the reason she was at the meeting was to be sure that the Commission realized that there are a lot of young children hi the neighborhood. There are approximately 37 children on that street alone, 22 of which are of elementary school age and younger. She was pleased that the field study was conducted between 4:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., because that's when her neighbors tend to slow down because they are wary of children running out after a ball or riding then- bikes. Ms. Starling said she was a stay-at-home mother with a four year old and a baby, and during the weekday there are delivery trucks, gardeners, people who are test driving from the dealerships off of Cannon Road, and they don't stop. Some of those drivers may not realize that it is a dead end street; some are just trying to get from point A to point B, not aware of the small children. One of the biggest concerns is not just for their neighbors who are more aware of the children, but for so many people who visit the neighborhood. This is a very active community and it is the scariest point for most mothers. She hoped the Commissioners would support the stop sign and, hopefully, it will save one of the children one day from a disaster. Seeing no one else to address the Commission, chair Dorsey closed Public Testimony and called for a motion. May 1,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4 MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Vice-Chair Gardner, and duly seconded by Commissioner Bradshaw, to recommend the installation of a stop sign on Hillyer Street at its intersection with Lynch Court. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 6B: Establish a prima facie speed limit upon Aston Avenue from College Boulevard to Rutherford Road. Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that this item was a request to establish a prima facie speed limit upon Aston Avenue from College Boulevard to Rutherford Road. The request was initiated by Cpl. Bolton, Traffic Division, Carlsbad Police Department, in his enforcement work responding to complaints about speeding on this short segment of roadway. Aston Avenue is an industrial road. It meets City standards and is 52 feet curb to curb and has curb, gutter, sidewalk, bike lanes, street lights, and NCTD bus stops on Aston Avenue. In accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, an engineering and traffic survey is required to be conducted to establish a prima facie speed limit. Being that the roadway is a two-lane road at this time with no posted speed limit, the absolute speed limit is 55 miles per hour on Aston Avenue. Centerline grades vary from 1.98% to 5.10%. On March 29,2006 a traffic count was conducted by staff and it was determined that the daily traffic was 5,783 vehicles on this road that is unclassified on the Circulation Element. Referring to Exhibit 1, Mr. Johnson stated that the roadway has two cul- de-sac streets, Pasteur Court and Darwin Court, that intersect Aston Avenue. In the two year time period from January 1,2004 to December 31,2005, there was one reported collision. Prior to that time period, the last reported collision was in July of 1996. The road functions very well from a minimal number of traffic collisions perspective. Mr. Johnson stated that the speed survey that was conducted as part of the Engineering and Traffic Survey found a critical speed of 42 miles per hour, with the pace speed being in the 34 mile per hour to 44 mile per hour range, and 85% of the vehicles within the pace speed. The critical speed is commonly in the upper range of the pace speed. Concluding, Mr. Johnson said that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee reviewed the results of the Engineering and Traffic Survey and recommend that a 40 mile per hour prima facie speed limit be established upon Aston Avenue from College Boulevard to Rutherford Road. This recommendation is in accordance with the 2003 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the California Supplement, that states that the prima facie speed limit should be established to the nearest 5 mile per hour increment to the critical speed. May 1,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5 DISCUSSION: Commissioner Roney stated that he drove to the subject street and he had a difficult time getting his speed up to 40 miles per hour because it is a short street. He noticed that Rutherford Road a much longer street, was posted at 35 miles per hour. Mr. Johnson explained that the speed limit on Rutherford Road was based on the results of an Engineering and Traffic Survey. There are a number of driveways and other intersecting streets on that particular roadway. Aston Avenue is a short segment of roadway. The 40 mile per hour is the upper limit of what drivers should be traveling. The critical speed is 42 miles per hour. On the Speed Survey provided in the staff report, 75% of the vehicles are traveling at or below 40 miles per hour, and then it drops off quite a bit to 38 miles per hour or below where less than half of the vehicles are traveling. Staff is required by law to use the 85th percentile when determining a speed limit. The 40 miles per hour will give guidance to the driver of the upper limit that they should be traveling. It does not mean that they have to drive at a speed of 40 miles per hour. As the Commission is aware, basic speed law requires drivers to adjust speeds in accordance with road conditions taking into account all roadway factors, environmental conditions, etc. Chair Dorsey called for a motion. MOTION: ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Commissioner Roney, to recommend establishing a 40 mile per hour prima facie speed limit upon Aston Avenue from College Boulevard to Rutherford Road. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Dorsey, Gardner, Cress, Roney, Bradshaw NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS Chair Dorsey stated that the ethics training session that he had recently attended that was sponsored by the City of Carlsbad was very interesting, but it had nothing to do about ethics. May 1,2006 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6 ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson reminded the Commission that Caltrans will be in Carlsbad on May 2, 2006, at the Faraday Center. Any Commissioner interested in attending one of two sessions can listen or ask questions about the 1-5 widening and the enhancement program that will be part of that widening. The meeting will be held in rooms 173 A&B, the large conference room downstairs. Caltrans staff will be there from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and then again from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is an open house/drop-in type of format. Those attending can view the exhibits and ask questions of Caltrans staffer their consultants. There is no formal presentation, so you can stay as long as you like. Commissioner Bradshaw asked if she had a legitimate concern, would Caltrans take that into account in terms of the design. Mr. Johnson stated that part of the purpose of the meeting was to listen to and address those concerns. Typically, Caltrans will have some writing materials where you can write your concern and turn it in to them. Some open houses have a stenographer/clerk taking comments from people. Caltrans wants to get input from the residents who attend. It is not just to show up, look and ask questions. Feel free to give your comments to the project engineer or appropriate person at the meeting. Caltrans is also working on the EIR. That will be another opportunity to provide comments once the environmental impact report/environmental impact statement is circulated. It is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year or early next year. For the public that attends May 2, they will also have the ability to e-mail the project engineer and Caltrans any comments after the minutes. In conclusion, Mr. Johnson stated that the next regular meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission would be held on June 5,2006 at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion Chair Dorsey adjourned the Regular Meeting of May 1, 2006 at 3:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ruth Woodbeck Minutes Clerk